Moving On
by SVUdaway2go
Summary: Spike promised to take care of Dawn. He’s not going to break that promise even when he meets resistance. And is that the end for the slayer?
1. Prologue

Title: Moving On

Author:

Disclaimer: I did not create nor do I own the characters of Buffy the vampire Slayer. I only own the story line and the characters I create. I do not make any profit from this. The only thing I get is joy when people review.

Summary: Spike promised to take care of Dawn. He's not going to break that promise even when he meets resistance. And is that the end for the slayer?

Prologue

This is the moment I stand here all alone  
With everything I have inside, everything I own  
I might be afraid  
But it's my turn to be brave  
If this is the last time before we say goodbye  
At least it's the first day of the rest of my life  
I can't be afraid  
Cause it's my turn to be brave

Buffy Summers had spent most of her life fighting off the horrors that existed in the world. She protected the citizens of Sunnydale every night and they never even knew the risks she would take to make sure they were safe. They would never know. That was the life of a slayer. As long as there was a slayer there would be unrecognized sacrifice. It was not something that had ever bothered Buffy. The less people who knew she was a slayer of all the dangerous demons were for the better as far as Buffy was concerned. She was not in a hurry to be labeled as a freak. Now as she looked from the opening vortex and back towards her sister she knew what she had to do. Death was her gift and she was about to receive it. Buffy hugged her sister tightly and whispered how much she loved her in Dawn's ear. She could hear Dawn's cries as if they were echoing all around her.

"Don't Buffy," Dawn cried.

"I have to Dawnie," Buffy told her, "Just promise you'll live for me."

Dawn could not find the right words to express to Buffy how much she loved her and how much she did not want Buffy to sacrifice herself. But Dawn knew that any argument would just be a waste of time. Buffy had made up her mind. Dawn knew that Buffy would rather die herself then have anything happen to her. She may not have grown up with Buffy since all those memories she has were fake but to Buffy Dawn was her sister and nothing else mattered. Dawn felt the tears silently flow down her cheeks. All she could do was nod. She hoped Buffy knew how much she loved her.

"Tell the others I'm sorry and that I love them," Buffy told Dawn.

Buffy watched as Dawn nodded once more before she turned to face the vortex. She found it funny how this was how it was all going to end. She had fought the good fight for so many years. At least she would go out with a bang. She would go out the way she had always wanted. She would die so that the world could live another day. She would die so the sun could rise one more time. Her death meant so much and yet no one would ever know how much it meant. No one would know that the world almost came to end and that her death had prevented that. Buffy hoped that her sister and the others would be okay without her. She hoped that Giles would come back and take care of Dawn. He was the closest thing either Summers girl had to a Father. Buffy hoped they didn't make Dawn go live with their evil Father Hank. He hadn't even bothered to call or visit when their Mother had died. Why would he call when Buffy did? Buffy felt something surge through her. Was she afraid? She was terrified of what this was going to feel like. Where was she going to go after she had died? In the short moments before she would make her run all these questions popped into her head. But she couldn't listen to them. Buffy pushed back her fears because she knew she had to be brave. She had to be the brave one and make the sacrifice. Buffy glanced back at Dawn once more before she ran and dove head first into the vortex.

"No," Dawn screamed.

Dawns screams were the last thing she heard as white pain enveloped her entire being. All she saw was bright white light. She had always thought that when she died all she would see was black. The white light enveloped her and she felt her entire body twinge with hot pain. It felt as though each and every bone in her body was breaking and her insides were being boiled. The last thing that crossed her mind before darkness took hold of her mind was that she had finally finished her job and that she was finally going to have a chance to relax.

Spike reached the top of the tower seconds after Buffy had plunged head first into the vortex. He pulled Dawn into his arms as she proceeded to sob into his chest. Tears streamed down his own eyes as he realized what they had all lost. Buffy had sacrificed herself so that Dawn could live. Buffy sacrificed herself so that the world could keep turning. There was nothing fair in that at all. Spike watched as the vortex disappeared in the blink of an eye. He could only hope that her death had been quick and painless. Spike stood there a few moments longer thinking of how if he had only been a few seconds earlier he could have done something to save her. But he knew that nothing could have stopped Buffy from jumping off that tower because it had been the only way that would have saved Dawn. Spike led Dawn back down the tower so they could join the others. Soon they were all gathered around the body off Buffy which lay crumbled and broken at the bottom of the tower. Dawn took one look at her older sister and burst into tears. Spike pulled her back into his arms. He had made a promise to Buffy earlier in the fight that if anything happened to her that Spike would take care of Dawn. He planned on keeping that promise and doing whatever it took to protect Dawn. Spike sensed the sun was about to rise and even though he didn't want to leave Buffy he knew that he would be no good to Dawn if he were a pile of ash.

"I'm going to take Dawn back to the house," Spike told the group quietly.

No one in the group said anything. All anyone could manage were nods as their words seemed to have disappeared just as Buffy had when she jumped off the tower. Spike didn't say anything else as he gently led Dawn back to the house. She didn't fight him either. Spike knew exactly what Dawn was going through. If she was experiencing what Spike was then he would say she was numb from everything. Spike didn't know what he was feeling. It was so many emotions bunched up into one mixed up crazy emotion. Their walk back to the house was done without any talking and when they got back to the house Spike closed the curtains and they sat on the couch. Dawn put on the TV, but neither of their minds were focused. They were each in their own little worlds as they waited for the rest of the Scooby gang to return. Life was sure going to be different now that Buffy was gone. Spike didn't know what was going to happen. All he knew was that he was going to honor the memory of Buffy in the only way he knew how. He was going to make sure nothing happened to Dawn. He was going to do anything and everything to make sure she was alright.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: I couldn't sleep so I decided to write the next chapter. I also realized I forgot to mention the lyrics in the last chapter do not belong to me. They belong to Idina Menzel. The song is called Brave. Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Thanks Xeelia and RabidReject for reviewing.

Chapter One

You can shed tears that she is gone,  
or you can smile because she has lived.  
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,  
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.  
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,  
or you can be full of the love you shared.  
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,  
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.  
You can remember her only that she is gone,  
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.  
You can cry and close your mind,  
be empty and turn your back.  
Or you can do what she'd want:  
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Andy Harkins

It had been had been a month since Buffy had jumped to her death. In that time Spike had not had any time to grieve. It seemed like Buffy's death had more of an effect on the gang than was necessary. Xander, who seemed to never have gotten over his crush on Buffy, was spending more time working and spending time with Anya. Willow and Tara were busy working with Giles as they tried to get Faith out of jail. Spike had no idea, but the whole time Faith had been in jail, Giles had kept in contact with her. He felt she had come to a point of recovery that she could be trusted once more to help them fight the good fight. That left Dawn by herself at home. Spike knew that someone had to step in and make sure that she was fed, clothed, and was able to continue living in her home. So he got a job at night working as a bouncer for a bar. He made sure Dawn had everything she needed and then some. Since he had lived there Dawn had gotten a lot better. Her nightmares had stopped two weeks prior and she was starting to smile again. Spike was happy that he was able to fulfill his last promise to the slayer.

"Spike?"

Spike looked up from the pan where he was making breakfast for Dawn. It was her first day back to school and he had wanted to make her a special breakfast. Spike motioned for her to sit at the table before he moved to scrape the eggs out of the pan to join the eggs that were already on the plate. He placed the plate in front of Dawn along with some toast.

"Thanks," Dawn said with a small smile.

Spike couldn't help but smile as well. It was the first genuine smile he had seen grace Dawn's face since Buffy's death. He was happy that he was the reason she was starting to become happy again.

"Anytime Nibblit," Spike said.

Spike turned to finish cleaning the kitchen as Dawn ate her breakfast. They tried to keep up conversation but it was mostly quiet. They each took comfort in the fact that they were together. It seemed to be enough for the moment, but only for a moment.

"How come you haven't cried?" Dawn asked suddenly.

Spike finished washing the pan he had been working on before he turned off the water and turned to face Dawn. He hadn't expected Dawn to ask him this question so soon. He hadn't even realized she had noticed these things about him. For the last month he had been taking care of her and trying to break her out of her trance.

"I can't," Spike replied.

"Didn't you love her?" Dawn asked.

"I did… I mean I do and I'll miss her every day," Spike replied, "But I made a promise to Buffy. I told her I would do anything to make sure you were okay and I guess if that means putting my grief on hold to help you through yours then that's what I had to do."

Dawn went over to Spike and threw her arms around his waist as she rested her head on his chest. She mumbled a thank you into his chest. Spike wrapped his arms around Dawn. He was happy that Dawn was starting to feel better. He knew that it was going to be a long time before she was fully over her sister's death, but being a little better was a start.

"Taking advantage of another Summers now Spike?" Spike heard Xander say from the doorway.

Spike glared at Xander as Dawn pulled away, but stayed silent. He did not want to upset Dawn in anyway by responding to Xander's insult. He did not take it as an insult on him personally but an insult towards Buffy. His own pain did not matter anymore. It was Dawn that he was concerned about. He was going to make sure he didn't break his promise to Buffy. Spike waited until he was sure Dawn had gone to her room to get her books before he turned to look at Xander.

"You haven't been here in a month Xander," Spike snapped, "You don't get to stroll in here a month later thinking you know what's been going on."

"I could have been gone a year," Xander snapped back, "But I know you and you can't change your ways."

Anya suddenly appeared next to Xander. Spike had been the only one in the group of Scooby's who could actually put up with Anya. Sure Xander did because he was in love with her, but even Xander had moments where he had to walk away because Anya annoyed him. But not Spike. He had always liked Anya. He liked how she was blunt about everything and she had also been the kindest to him when he had gotten the chip put in his head.

"Shut up Xander," Anya told him, "Spike's right you don't know what's been going on."

"You're taking dead boys side?" exclaimed Xander.

"You haven't been here in a month Xander. Neither has Willow or Tara. Sure Giles checks in once a week, but Spike has been there for Dawn this past month. He's put aside his pain to make sure Dawn was okay. Something none of you have done," Anya said angrily.

Xander glared once more at Spike before he stormed out of the house. Spike was grateful Anya had come when she had. He didn't want to fight the whelp because he didn't want to do anything that would upset Dawn anymore. Dawn still cared about the Scooby's even if they had pretty much abandoned her for the last month.

"Thanks," Spike told Anya Dawn came back into the room.

"No problem," Anya told him with a small smile before she turned her attention to Dawn, "Ready for school?"

Dawn nodded. She gave Spike a hug goodbye before she followed Anya out to the car so she could go to school. As they left Spike yelled after them thanking Anya again. He hoped that Xander didn't start any more problems now that he seemed to want to come back around the Summers house more. But something told me that it was going to happen.

A/n: I'm also looking for a beta reader. So if anyone wishes to beta for me either put it in your review and include a story or two as examples of works you have been a beta on or pm me.


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